If you are interested in getting your child into dancing then there is no minimum age to start but serious training generally starts around 7-9 years old. That means your child will need to have a done a little dancing before this.
However, how do you know if your child has dance potential or that they enjoy dancing? The most obvious solution to this dilemma is to teach your child to dance at a young age. That will allow you to assess their skill level and enjoyment before signing them up for professional dance classes.
Why 4 Years old?
You may be wondering why choose 4 years old. This is a good age for children to soak up information but they already have a great deal of physical dexterity. A four-year-old should be able to hop, walk up and down the stairs without help, pedal a bike or tricycle, draw shapes and people, and walk forward and backward effortlessly.
In other words, they are the perfect age to be capable of dancing, to find it fun, and to be able to learn quickly.
There are several effective techniques you can employ to get your child dancing.
Professional Lessons
In fact, you are aiming for preschool dance lessons where the teacher has experience teaching pre-schoolers. They will have done this many times before and be prepared to deal with children that have no knowledge of dancing. The perfect lesson will guide them through various steps, engaging them and stimulating them.
Set An Example
Pre-school children are unlikely to learn dance moves in the same way that you would. But, they do love copying people. This means that dancing for and with them will be beneficial. They may not copy your exact moves but you will see that they quickly start to move in time to the music.
The key at this stage is just getting them to enjoy dancing, regardless of their form.
Change Quickly
Another important technique in teaching dance to a four-year-old is to move between steps quickly. Children have short attention spans. The only way to help them learn to dance is to move quickly from one step or routine to the next.
You may be surprised when you return to a particular step and find that the child has memorized most of it.
Set Goals
In order for the child to improve they need goals. A teacher can set goals, such as the ability to complete a routine. This gives the child something to aim for which will bring out their best side and ensure they are focused on learning.
Naturally, the goals should be small and obtainable but just enough to motivate the child to learn more. This approach usually helps a child to advance quickly and they will be inspired by their achievements, as will you be.
Don’t forget that children love playing games. An effective way of teaching them to dance is to turn it into a game.
